Jordi Capell belonged to a generation of disciples of the Second Chicago School, which championed functionalism with leading figures like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto, and Walter Gropius. Even earlier, the American architect Louis Sullivan, considered the father of modern architecture, had popularized the now-famous motto: “form follows function.”
These were architects who designed based on the size of a building, its mass, the layout of space, and other elements like materials and light — all of which had to serve the building's purpose. According to Sullivan, when that was achieved, architectural beauty would emerge naturally.
Jordi Capell worked consistently from this philosophy, which is evident throughout his broad body of work — whether large or small. He began in Mataró and soon expanded to Barcelona, Madrid, Ibiza, Milan, and Rapallo. His career lasted only 14 years, tragically cut short by a car accident in 1970. He was 44.
Capell’s work is marked by pure modernist forms inspired by the 1920s and ’30s, combined with natural, flowing shapes that responded to the building’s surroundings. He designed homes that blended seamlessly with the natural landscape — a landscape he often designed himself, down to the smallest detail. He would elevate the main living areas to create a sense of lightness and suspension, as well as to improve views.
This duality was not only formal but also present in his choice of materials. He was already using exposed reinforced concrete and large glass panels, which he combined with traditional local materials such as stone, wood (inside and out), and terracotta roof tiles — creating an architectural language that was hard to find elsewhere at the time.
Writer and friend Josep Maria Espinàs described him as a silent motor, because Capell never sought fame or professional recognition, all while simultaneously engaging in deeply meaningful — and often anonymous — social work. He applied functionality not just in his architecture, but in his own life. He participated in many of the social movements of his time.
“Less is more,” his scientifically trained mind would say. “With less time — used well — I can do the same, or even more. Because I reduce the unnecessary.”
Among his many contributions, his work at the Architects' Association of Catalonia (COAC) stands out. He served as treasurer during the tenure of dean Xavier Subias. A few months after stepping down from this role, he suffered the fatal accident on the coastal road toward Mataró.
Years later, the board of the Architects’ Association discovered a draft of a proposal he had written: a cooperative for purchasing materials for architects. In 1977, that cooperative was finally founded — and in recognition, it was named after him.
His friend, priest and poet Jordi Llimona, captured him perfectly during his funeral homily:
“Jordi wanted to build the world the same way he built houses: in service of people. He had a clear and steadfast faith in the fundamental things — despite the problems, the questions, and the mysteries. And though he respected mystery, he still sought to solve the unknown and to find answers to the questions.
Now, all we can do is continue his work as best we can. And carry on the way Jordi would have carried on with life... a life always moving forward.”
— Bernat Capell i Oller
